Preview: Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Hey guys! It’s been some time since I wrote a preview and I felt like writing one because I don’t have much time left before I have to head off to bed but I really wanted to deliver something about this film to you guys.

As many of you would know, Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a film by the famous Hayao Miyazaki and its soundtrack is composed by the genius Joe Hisaishi. The film exceeded my expectations of course, being unexpectedly funny – funnier than some of the other Miyazaki films – and likeable despite its simple story line.

At the end of the movie, yet again I felt that it left me hanging as did the other films of Miyazaki’s but somehow, it felt okay. I wonder how many story lines can actually make me feel that way – leave you somewhat unsatisfied with a bunch of questions unanswered and yet still feel strangely okay with that. For most of those questions that I had, I could more or less guess the outcome of them but you know, I prefer things being laid out clearly for me so that’s just me.

I felt that Pazu, the male protagonist was a lot like Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke – brave, daring and very clear on what he wanted. Throughout most of the show, he was like a hero, jumping from place to place, doing daredevil stunts and without a moment’s hesitation, always going to rescue his princess. Not that he ever called Sheeta that but that’s what it looked like haha. Sheeta, on the other hand was a sweet little girl who was soft and gentle by nature but surprisingly could look after herself when desperate times called for desperate measures.

The animation was beautiful, as Miyazaki’s movies always are and watching this movie made me love the Studio Ghibli world more. I’m really glad that I took a photo with that Laputa robot back at the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan last December even though at that time, it didn’t contain any significance to me of any sort, because I’d guessed that one day I would regret it if I didn’t.

I can’t find many flaws with this work of art other than the fact that most of the stuff that happens in the story is implied so you’d have to guess/interpret the outcomes/answers for yourself but that’s minor I guess.

Lookout for my review on Laputa: Castle in the Sky next as well as my guide to reading shoujo mangas: authors version